Cuchillo

Cuchillo was founded in the 1850s by Hispanic farmers and ranchers. It was named for nearby Cuchillo Negro ("Black Knife") Creek, which took its name from a local Apache Chief.

During the mining boom of the 1880s and 1890s, stage and freight lines ran between the railroad station in Engle to the silver mines at Winston, Chloride and Hermosa. As a mid-point between these locations, Cuchillo was a natural choice for a stage stop. In that era, it was a thriving agricultural community and was well-suited to resupply the men and horses. The end of the mining boom plus a series of devastating floods on the Cuchillo Negro Creek greatly reduced the town. Today, it is a small village with some farms and ranches.